Key fastener



Oct. 28, 1947. V V w, 1 BALD 2,429 ;913,

KEY-FASTENER Filed May 50, 1945 IN V EN TOR.

Patenteci ct. 28, 1947 UNITED. STAT E S, PATENT FFI'CE KEY FASTER WarrenL. Bald, Los ngeles, Calf. Application May 30, 1945, "seria1 No. 596;773

2 Claims.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple device Which may beslipped into a keyhole from the room side of the door, for example, andafter the key has been turned to door-looking position, and which willprevent rotation of the key to the point where the door may be unlockedfrom the outside, and the key cannot be pushed out of the lock. V

A number of devices of the general character have been proposed in thepast, and the special problem is to provide a satisfactory latch elementwhich will pass through the bow of the key and which will be carried bythe primary member of the key-fastener. In the past such elements ashasp looks, hinge lock connections, hinged lug bars, and cotter pins,connected to the key-fastener by chains, have been employed. All ofthese arrangements are unsatisfactory, either from the standpoint ofcost or from the standpoint of installation of the latch. A latcharrangement consisting of a unitary member carried by the fastener andWhich can be rapidly moved out of position by a single motion, ready todrop into the bow of the key by gravity, appears to be an idealsolution, and it is the specific object of the present invention toprovide such a device.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawing, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the face plate ofa door lock having a key opening, the key having been turned to lookingposition, or with its bow somewhat horizontally of the key y aperture,and my device in position, dotted lines showing the released position ofthe latch.

Fig. 2 shows a modified form of the key retaining device shown byFigures 1 and 3.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view.

In Fig. 1 the face plate of a door lock is shown at l. It is formed witha keyhole at 2 to receive a key such as that shown at 3, the bit of thekey, shown at S, being in position after the key has been turned at orsomewhat beyond door looking position. My key-fastener is shown inposition.

My key-fastener consists of a primary member, preferably of narrow stripsteel which is given a twist at the arca 5 so that a blade 6 is formed A2 wardly out of looking position by a straight-line single movement.

The latch may be formed of either round or flat faced rod stock. It hasa vertical section 8 at the top of Which there extends a horizontalsection 8 which merges into a vertical prong 8 The base of the verticalsection 8 is provided with a stop head of any suitable formation, and inthe present embodiment the lower end of the latch simply is bentangularly to provide the stop.

I prefer that at least one face of the latch be flattened and that thelatch receiving apertures in the shank l, or in that shank and itsoverhanging section 'l of Fig. 2, be correspondingly formed so that thelatch will have a vertical movement only and Will not swivel.

When the key is inserted in the lock and is turned to throw the bolt ofthe lock, my device may be inserted so that its blade will lie in theposition of Fig. l. During the insertion of the keyfastener thef0refinger of the operator will press the latch upward so that it will1ie on the dotted line position of Fig. 1, and the latching prin g willslip over the reararea of the key handle b0w and in register with theapertura of the latter. This is the sole operation, because when thedevice is released by the handthe latch will fall by gravity intolatching position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. My device thus enablesthis simple operation, and I prefer that the apertures' in thekey-fastener shank be such as to aiord free and easy movement of thelatch and at the same time prevent any swiveling movement thereof. Iknow of no key-fastener which can be operated in this simple andeffective manner.

It will be understood that various modifications may be made in thespecific form and arrangement of the elements constituting theembodiment illustrated in the drawing, without departing from the spiritof the invention. While the gravitational feature of the latch isdesirable, the

latch may have a slight frictional grip if desired, so that thumbpressure will move the prong into the how of the key 'and thence intothe prong aperture.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is as folloWs:

l. A key-fastener comprising a, Vertical blade twisted to form a shankwhich lies angularly of -the blade, the shank being formed with spacedaperturs, and a latch consisting of a unitary member having a Verticalsection formed with a stop at its lower end, the upper arca of the latchbeing bent horizontally and thence downwardly to form a, vertical prong,the first named vertical section of the latch being slidably m0unted inone of said aperturas, and the prong norma1ly lying in the secondaperture, movement of the 1atch in upward direction by pressure on thestop end effecting withdrawal of the prong from its aperture so as toclear the bow of a key.

2. A ky-fastener comprising a. unitary member having a blade a,nd ashank lying angu1ar1y of the blade, the shank being formed with spacedaper tures, and a, latch consisting of a unitary member having a.vertical section provided With a stop at its lower end, the upper area.of the latch being angulariy of the 1atch vertical section and thenceextending downwardly to form a, prong, the vertical section of the latchbeing slidably mounted in one of said apertures, and the prong norma1lylyng in the second aperture, movement of the latch in upward directionby pressure on the stop end effecting withdrawa1 of the prong from itsaperture so as to clear the bow of a key.

WARREN L. BALD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

